Flotation apparatus.



A. 8. DAMAN.

FLOTATION APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28. 1917.

1,285,061.. PatentedN0v.19,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- WITNESS: m 'm 'I'UR.

A. C flAMA/v.

A. C. DAMAN.

FLOTATlON APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.28. 19]].

WITNESS.-

Patented Nov. 19, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- BY 3} ORNEY.

INVENTOR. A. C. DAM/IN ARrnUac. DAMAN, or DENVER, COLORADO.

rLorA'rIoN ArrAaA'rUs.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. DAMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have inventedcerta-in new and 'useful Improvements in Flotation Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in apparatus for the separation of minerals from the gangue with which they occur in association in metalliferous ores, by what is commonly known as the fiotation process and its primary object resides in th provision of a combination of devices 15' which cooperatively produce a thorough aeration' and emulsification of ore'pulp and by an automatically repeated treatment of the same, effect 'a complete separation of the minerals from the gangue with which they were associated- With the above and other objects in View, all of which will fully appear in the course of the following description, my invention consists of features of construction, arrangement of parts and combinations of devices shown in the accompanying drawings in the various views'of which like parts are similarly designated and in which Figure l is a vertical section taken on a plane of the axis of my improved flotation apparatus, I Fig. 2, a transverse section along the line 2-2, Fig. 1,

tion on the line 4-4,

ig. 3, a similar section taken along the line 3-3, Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 an enlarged sec- Referring more specifigially to the drawings, my. improved separating apparatus comprises in its preferred form a container 2 having the form of an inverted cone which at its lower end has a valve controlled opening 3 through whi h the gangue or valueless matter of the ore pulp under treatment is discharged.

Suspended centrally within the container from a suitable supporting structure 4 by means of laterally projecting arms 5, is an open-top cylinder6 which in the operation of the machine provides a chamber in which the pulp under treatment is aerated and emulsified.

The-cylinder 6 has itslower portion divided into a central agitating and aeration compartment 7 and a surrounding passage Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 19, 1918.

Application filed April 23, 1917. Serial No. 165,155.

8 of restricted dimensions by means of an open-top vessel 9 which is secured in spaced relation to the circumferential and bottom surfacesof the cylinder.

A downwardly converging apron 1O disposed above the passage 8 serves asa hopper to direct inflowing material toward the center of the compartment 7 and it also separates the pulp which enters the compartment. from the outflowing matter which overflows the edge of the vessel into the surrounding passage as will hereinafter be more fully explained.

The partitioning apron which extends inwardly from the circumferential wall of the chamber 6 is composed of a number of annular plates which are stepped in' spaced relation to each other to provide slots for the passage of air between them.

A ring 13 supported upon the cylinder 6 by means of legs 14 provides a bearing for an annular gear wheel 15 which meshes with a pinion 16 on a'shaft 17 mounted for rotation in boxes 18, on a supporting structure 19. s

'The annular gear carriesa plurality of radially projecting blades 20 provided with flexible wipers 20 which in the operation of the machine skim the froth formed upon the surface of the Contents of the container into two or more launder-s 21 disposed transversely of the container between its peripheral edge and that of the cylinder 6.

Another launder 22 surrounding the container at its peripheral edge, is auxiliary to the transverse launders by receiving the material discharged across the edge of the tank and an annular dash plate 28 preferably secured to the cylinder 6 and .xtendconnect at their lower ends with discharge conduits 24 and the peripheral launder 22 is provided with one or more outlets22 through which the accumulated froth 1s removed.

26 on the structure 19 extends through the concentric gear 15 and the bearmgrmg 13 A second shaft 25 supported in bearings" {All it the pulp it dashes outwardly across the and carries at its lower end a suction-wheel 2? which is disposed Within the compartment 7, and a propeller 28 which is arranged beneath the bottom or the cylinder 6,

Both shatsare connected vith a conveniently located source of power by means of helts running around pu leys :29 and 3d at their upper ends.

The suction Wheel 27 consists of an opentop cylindrical vessel which has in its circumterential ivall, a series ot oblique vanes or fan-blades 31 which when the Wheel revolves, create a suction of air through the open top of the vessel outwardly through the spaces or ports between them.

The propeller consists of a hub secured at the end oi? the shaft 25 and a series of vanes which radiate equidistantly therefrom.

A bovvl 32 placed beneath the propeller has an upturned rim to deiect the material thrown outwardly by the motion of the same, for the purpose of compelling it to assume an upivard course in the container, hatfles 33 extending rz lially bet-Ween rim 7 and the bottom portion oi the cylinder 6,

i two-told function ot susper ng he cylinder and of oun erhave the the bowl acting the vvn mg motion imparted the 1 .1 .s A l I. ,c r material by tne rotar movement or the proieller.

the character of the ore e requires a supply i to hat beaten into and entrained loy the pulp in the operation or" the m cha hereinbeiore described, an 21ll-(3l1t posed of a plurality of screen-covere arately removable sections in maybe a to the Will 7 l of the container to int compressed air in innumerable tine ets into edge of the looivl.

The sections or vvhich tl 1e air-chamber is composed are connected with a source air under pressure, by means of pipes and they are supported tor ready removal, upon an angular bracket fastened to the vvall of the container in the operation of my improved flotation apparatus the ore pulp together with able percentage oif oil or other agent. having a selective atlinity for the suliid particles contained therein, is fed into the rotating suction Wheel through the medium of a :teedpipe 3'? which delivers its discharge onto the downwardly sloning apron 10.

The suctionv heel draws by its rap d rotary movement a current of air of large volume into interior Where it miXes With the pulp and the oil.

The emulsion thus obtained is forcibly discharged through the ports between the fan blades 31 ot the Wheel, partially in the form of froth, and in a Whirlii 5 current overliou's the peripheral edge or he vessel 9 underneath the partitioning apron 10, to

1 asses over the edge suit- 7 after further agitation, aeration and emul 'sitication, violently discharged across the pe ripheral edge of the suhjacent bowl 312.

T he baffles 33 at the circumference of the bovvl counteract the uihirling motion imparted to the liquid mass by the rotary movement of the propeller and the upturned edge of the same deflects the material to assume an upwardly directed course, with the result that the heavier particles not entrapped in the froth produced by the inter-mixture of pulp, oil and air, are thrown inwardly tovvard the upper edge of the cylinder (3 While the froth carrying a part of the sullids in suspension rises tovthe surface of the liquid mass to be removed into the launders 21 by the action of the rotary shimmers 20.

The part 0 the liaterial not converted t aforesaid operation, of the chamber 6 and ailing upon the slo iing apron, rei nters the compartment 7 together with the a froth hy Iresh e constantly supplied through the feed {a 1%! T." material is thus repeatedly treated in e above described manner until all of its s entrappec. in the froth pro duced by the violent agitation and simultaneous aeration of the pulp and oil, and toe gangue contained in the pulp upon passi g across the edge of the bowl subsides to L e bottom of the container Where it graduallv accumulates to .he removed through e valve controlled outlet 3.

it will be seen that the rotary elements of my invention effect a rapid circulatory movement of the pulp through the-passages provided by the relatively stationary parts of the apparatus, While air in large quantities is dravvn and beaten into the moving mass by the action of the suction Wheel as Well as by the movement of the propeller and also by entrainment .as the material moves through the restricted passage 8.

In case an additional supply of air is required to advance or complete the trothing action, the sections of the air chamber are through the medium of the conduits 35 placed in connection with a source of air under pressure to inject air in fine streams into the mass as it enters the portion of the container surrounding the agitation chamher, across the edge of the upturned rim of the bowl.

' The suction wheel which preferably is closed at its bottom, may be made ofany desired form, its primary function being to draw air into the pulp constantly fed there-,

into across the sloping apron and to thoropghly emulsify the pulp with the oil and .ore particles aside from adding to the pulp the proper percentage of oil or other reagent, depends primarily on the introduction of air in large .volumes and the thorough emulsification of the entire mass.

It is but seldom that these actions are completed in one operation, to an extent sufficient to extract all or nearly all the minerals contained in the ore, and repeated treatments are for this reason a common requirement of the majority of flotation machines at present in use.

It will be readily seen that in the operation of the present machine, the repeated treatment of the material is automatically effected in one operation, that the introduction of the air is limited only by the veloc ity of the rotating parts, and that a most thorough intermixture of the ingredients must be the infallible result of the cooperatire arrangement of the parts of the mechanism.

It will furthermore be seen that the mechanism may be made and assembled as a unit suitable for application to any tank or receptacle of-the desired dimensions, it being obvious that While a tank of the'form shown in ,the drawings is preferable, a diiferently shaped container may be efiectively used in the operation of the more essential elements of the apparatus.

Furthermore I desire it understood that while I have shown the operating parts of the mechanism in the best form at present known to me, variations in their construction and arrangement, other than those hereinbeforereferred to, may be resorted to within the spirit ofmy invention as defined in the following claims:

1. Apparatus for separating minerals by flotation, comprising in combination with a container, a chamber therein, a suctionwheel having a rotary movement in said chamber and composed of an open-top vessel having peripheral openings for the dis charge of its contents, and means for feeding material into the wheel, the chamber having an outlet for the material after it is discharged through the openings of the wheel. 2. Apparatus for separating minerals by flotation, comprising in combination with a container, a chamber therein, a suction-wheel having a rotary movement in said chamber and composed of an open-top vessel having peripheral ports extending vertically along the greater part of its depth for-the discharge of its contents, and means for feedingmaterial into the wheel, the chamber having an outlet for the material after it is discharged through the ports of the wheel.

3. Apparatus for separating minerals by flotation, comprising in combination with a container, a chamber therein, a rotary, ported suction-Wheel in said chamber, a rotary propeller beneath the same, and means for feeding material into said wheel, said chamber having an outlet for the passage of the material after it is discharged through the orts of the wheel, onto the propeller.

4. Apparatus for separating minerals by flotation, comprising in combination with a container, a chamber having an outlet therein, a rotary, orted suction wheel in said chamber, means for feeding material,

into the wheel, and a rotary propeller disposed outside said chamber, to engage material discharged through the outlet of the same. 7

5. Apparatus for separating minerals by flotation, comprising in combination with a container, a chamber having an outlet therein, a rotary, ported suction wheel in said chamber, means for feeding material.

into the Wheel, a rotary propeller disposed outside said chamber, to engage material discharged through the outlet of the same,

and a deflective surface disposed with relation to said propeller to compel material 1mpelled. thereby to assume an upward course .in the container.

6. Apparatus for separating minerals by flotation comprising in combination with a suitable container, a chamber having an outlet therein, a rotary, ported suction Wheel in said chamber, means for feeding material into the Wheel, a rotary propeller disposed outside the chamber to engage material discharged through the outlet of the same, and a deflecting surface disposed with relation to the propeller to compel material impelled thereby to assume an upward course, said chamber having an inlet to admit material from the container.

7. Apparatus for separating minerals by flotation comprising in combination with a suitable container, a chamber having an outlet therein, a rotary, ported suction wheel in said chamber, means for feeding material into the Wheel, a rotary propeller disposed outside the chamber to engage material discharged through the outlet of the same,a

adapted to direct material fed thereinto, into 'the suction-wheel, a rotary propeller be p the neath the chamber to engage material discharged through the outlet, a bowl beneath the propeller, having a deflecting rim to cause material impelled by the propeller to assume an upward course, and baffles in said bowl to counteract the swirling movement imparted to the material by rotation of the propeller.

18. Apparatus for separating minerals by flotation, comprising in combination with a container, an open-top chamber having an outlet inits bottom, an open top vessel spaced from the surface of said chamber, to provide a passage for material overflowing the edge of the vessel, to said outlet,

a rotary, ported suction wheel in said vessel, an apron extending over said passage and adapted to direct material fed thereinto, into the suction-wheel, a rotary propeller beneath the chamber to engage material discharged through the outlet, a bowl beneath the propeller having a deflecting rim to cause material impelled by the propeller to assume an upward course, and an air-chamber disposed to inject air-,into the material after it leaves said bowl.

19. Apparatus for separating minerals by flotation, comprising in combination with a container, a chamber having anoutlet therein, an open-top vessel spaced from the wall of said chamber to provide a passage for material overflowing its top, to said outlet, a rotary, ported suction wheel within said vessel, an apron extending over said passage and adapted to direct material fed thereonto, into the wheel, and means for feeding material onto said apron, said apron having spaces for the passage of air.

20. Apparatus for separating minerals by flotation, comprising in combination with a container, a chamber having an outlet therein, an open-top vessel spaced from the wall of said chamber to provide a passage for material overflowing its top, to said outlet, a rotary, ported suction wheel within said vessel, an apron extending over said passage and adapted to direct material fed thereonto, into the Wheel, and means for feeding material onto said apron, said apron being composed of stepped plates spaced for passage of air. 21. flotation, comprising an open-top chamber Apparatus for separating minerals by having an outlet in its bottom, an open top vessel spaced from the surface of said chamber, to provide a passage for material overflowing the edge of the vessel, to said outlet, a rotary, ported suction wheel in said vessel, an apron connected to the chamber, extending over said passage and adapted to direct material fed thereonto, into the suction-wheel, a. rotary propeller beneath the chamber-t0 engage material discharged through the outlet, and a bowl attached to the chamber beneath the propeller and having a deflecting rim to cause material impelled by the propeller to assume an upward course, a device for suspending the chamber within a container, and means for the rotary suspension of said suction-wheel and said propeller. y 22. Apparatus for separating minerals by flotation, comprising in combination with a container, a chamber, a rotary, ported suction wheel therein, and a rotary propeller outside the chamber, said chamber having an outlet for the discharge of material onto the propeller, and a restricted passage to conduct material discharged from the suction wheel to said outlet.

23. Apparatus for separating minerals by flotation, comprising in combination with a container, a chamber therein, a suctionwheel having a rotary movement in said chamber and composed of an open-top vessel having in its circumferential surface a series of oblique vanes and between them ports for the discharge of its contents, and means for feeding material into the wheel, the chamber having an outlet for the material after it is discharged through the ports of the wheel.

2%. Apparatus for separating minerals bv flotation, comprising in combinationwith a container, a chamber having an outlet there in, a propeller outside said chamber, a deflective surface to induce material impelled by said propeller to assume an upward course in the container, and means for feeding material into said chamber, the chamber having an inlet to' receive material during its said upward course.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, ARTHUR C. DAMAN.

Witnesses: l

G. J. ROLLANDET, L. RHOADES. 

